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Valdez on the job as CWC president; budget comes first

Jul 21, 2014 - By Katie Roenigk, Staff Writer

In his first official action as Central Wyoming College's new president, Dr. Cristobal Valdez recommended the CWC Board of Trustees pass the school's $36.8 ...

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In his first official action as Central Wyoming College's new president, Dr. Cristobal Valdez recommended the CWC Board of Trustees pass the school's $36.8 million budget for fiscal year 2015.
The board approved the budget during a regular meeting Wednesday. The meeting was preceded by a reception welcoming Valdez to the college.
His official first day was Monday, and Valdez said he has been busy getting to know the staff in his first week.
During his interview process, Valdez pledged to meet with every CWC employee in person, regardless of title.
Wyoming Public Broadcasting Service general manager Ruby Calvert said Valdez already is making good on that promise.
"He's already met with me," she said. "We're pledging to meet weekly to keep him up to date on what we're doing."
Valdez spoke about Wyoming PBS during his public interview, saying he would "relish the opportunity" to work with the organization.
"It's remarkable that CWC is able to have the station here," he said at the time.
Filling vacancies
In his first week on campus, Valdez already is interviewing prospective new employees. For example, CWC is looking for a new marketing director to replace public information officer Carolyn Aanestad, who retired June 30 after more than three decades on the job.
"We have fantastic candidates," Valdez said.
He has been joined in Riverton by his son Antonio, 18, who is enrolling at CWC and looking for a job on campus.
"He likes it," Valdez said. "He brought a friend who just graduated (high school)."
Welcoming events
More public welcome events are scheduled for Valdez this summer. The first is 5:30-7:30 p.m. Aug. 6 at the CWC picnic area, followed by another 5:30-7:30 p.m. Aug. 12 at the Lyons Shelter in Lander City Park. Both events will include food and drink.
Valdez will travel to a reception in his honor Sept. 18 at the Center for the Arts in Jackson, and another event will be planned in Thermopolis and on the Wind River Indian Reservation sometime in the future.
Evaluation
The board discussed the schedule for Valdez's first evaluation during Wednesday's meeting.
Typically, and according to board policy, the presidential evaluation takes place every November, but board members pointed out that he will only have been on the job for a few months by that point.
After some conversation, however, they decided to continue with the evaluation as scheduled.
The process involves feedback from college employees.
"There's some value to giving everybody a voice and letting them say what they think," trustee Colton Crane said. "I think you get knee-jerk data the first month or two, (but) at least we can hear something, and they can say something. ...
"We can take it with a grain of salt, understanding where it's coming from."
Welcome
Public events to meet and greet Dr. Cristobal Valdez
Aug. 6
5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
CWC picnic area
Aug. 12
5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Lander City Park
Sept. 18
Time TBA
Center for the Arts
Jackson
(Additional events will be announced in Thermopolis and on the Wind River Indian Reservation)